1. Field of the Invention
The invention herein is directed to an embossed product and the process of making the product. More particularly, it is directed to a product which has an embossed top layer structure and a base foam layer which has been unaffected by the embossing operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the floor covering art, it is common practice to make a floor covering material with a foam backing and an embossed wear layer or top layer. U.S. Pat. No. 3,196,062, is typical of the techniques utilized to form the above-mentioned product. A backing or a fabric has placed thereon a foamable thermoplastic resin material and then over that is placed a second thermoplastic resin. The product is subjected to heat and the foamable thermoplastic material is foamed. The thermoplastic resin is normally a nonfoamable material and it is simply fused by the heat. While the total product is still hot, it is then fed to embossing rolls which emboss a pattern in the upper surface of the product. Normally, the embossing penetrates into the foam layer in that the foam layer receives some deformation as a result of the embossing of the top thermoplastic resin layer.
It is the purpose of the invention herein to provide a product and technique for making the same wherein the embossing is done to the top layer without any impression being transmitted into the foam backing. Without the impression being transmitted into the foam backing, the foam backing will thus be undamaged by the embossing.